-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Injured Formula One star Felipe Massa is looking forward to taking his first steps towards driving again after passing a series of mental and physical tests in Miami .

Felipe Massa has been given the all-clear to begin training as he bids to return to the race track .

His team Ferrari reported on its Web site on Tuesday that the Brazilian , who suffered horrific head wounds in Hungary in July , had come through the tests satisfactorily on Monday .

`` The checks -LRB- which included neurometric , impact and cognitive capacity tests -RRB- all had a positive outcome , just like the eye exam : everything is in order for Felipe to get back to racing , '' the statement said .

`` Now there has just to be carried out some plastic surgery at the brain box , where the spring at the accident at the Hungaroring hit his helmet .

`` The surgery will take place in the upcoming days . After a short convalescence Felipe can then gradually start with physical preparations . ''

The 28-year-old , who finished second in last year 's drivers ' world championship , said that he planned to take things slowly following the operation .

`` I 'm very happy about the results , '' he told www.Ferrari.com before returning home to Sao Paulo .

`` After the small surgery , in the next few days I can finally start to go to the gym to get back into shape and drive some tests in karts .

`` On the track with a Formula One single-seater ? Let 's take it step by step . At the moment I 'm concentrating on taking up physical activities , which is a great step forward . ''

Ferrari said Massa was expected to be at 100 percent fitness in time for the 2010 season , but gave no indication whether he would return to racing this year -- he has , however , indicated that he would like to drive at his home Brazilian Grand Prix on October 18 .

His replacement , test driver Luca Badoer , is not expected to drive at the Italian Grand Prix two weekends away after finishing last in his two races so far .

Badoer , who stepped into the breach when F1 legend Michael Schumacher was unable to make a shock return to the sport due to a neck problem , was not allowed to test drive the current Ferrari vehicle during the four-week summer break due to this year 's regulations .

Veteran Italian Giancarlo Fisichella has been linked with Ferrari after finishing second at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday , but his team Force India insist that he will race for them at Monza .

Highly-rated Polish driver Robert Kubica is also in the running to replace Badoer , with his team BMW Sauber dropping out of F1 at the end of this season .

Badoer 's results aside , Ferrari have enjoyed a renaissance since Massa 's injury , with 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen winning in Belgium to end a personal drought of 26 races and placing third in Valencia .

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Injured F1 star Felipe Massa passes series of mental and physical tests

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The Brazilian driver can begin training following minor surgery this week

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Massa suffered horrific head injuries after a freak accident in Hungary in July

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Ferrari expected to drop his struggling replacement Luca Badoer